Comparison · Barcelona vs Valencia · Spain
Barcelona vs Valencia
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Choose Barcelona for Sagrada Família and Gaudí architecture; choose Valencia for Paella, City of Arts and Sciences and lower day-to-day costs. Valencia is generally less expensive, and the two are about 303 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 303 km
- Less expensive
- Valencia
- Best time for Barcelona
- May–June and September–October
- Best time for Valencia
- April–June and September–October
Side by side
| Barcelona | Valencia | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Spain | Spain |
| Known for | Sagrada Família, Gaudí architecture and Gothic Quarter | Paella, City of Arts and Sciences and Fallas |
| Best time to visit | May–June and September–October | April–June and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 4 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $180–$300 | $130–$220 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Affordable |
| Warmest month | July, 29°C (84°F) | August, 31°C (88°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 15°C (59°F) | January, 17°C (63°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 7 | 9 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 6 |
| Beaches | Barceloneta | Malvarrosa |
| Airports | BCN, GRO, REU | VLC |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Barcelona for…
Sagrada Família and Gaudí architecture. Barcelona combines a medieval core — the Gothic Quarter and El Born — with the grid of the 19th-century Eixample, where Antoni Gaudí and his contemporaries built the Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló and La Pedrera. The Mediterranean runs along the city's eastern…
.jpg){kind=link}
Choose Valencia for…
Paella, City of Arts and Sciences and lower day-to-day costs. Spain's third-largest city combines a Gothic old town around the cathedral and the UNESCO-listed Lonja de la Seda with Santiago Calatrava's white City of Arts and Sciences. Linking them is the Turia Gardens, a 9-kilometre park laid out in the old riverbed…
Top sights compared
| # | Barcelona | Valencia |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sagrada Família | City of Arts and Sciences |
| 2 | Park Güell | L'Oceanogràfic |
| 3 | Casa Batlló | Turia Gardens |
| 4 | Casa Milà (La Pedrera) | Gulliver Park |
| 5 | Gothic Quarter walk | Lonja de la Seda |
Food compared
| Barcelona | Valencia |
|---|---|
| Bread with tomato | Paella valenciana |
| Patatas bravas | Arroz a banda |
| Bomba | Black rice |
| Black rice | Fideuà |
Which is cheaper?
Valencia is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $130–$220 per person there, against $180–$300 in Barcelona (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Valencia on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Barcelona and Valencia are about 303 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 4 days in Barcelona and 4 in Valencia.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Barcelona or Valencia cheaper?
Valencia is usually less expensive: about $130–$220 a day mid-range against $180–$300 (estimates).
+Is Barcelona or Valencia better for a first trip?
Pick Barcelona for Sagrada Família and Gaudí architecture, or Valencia for Paella, City of Arts and Sciences and lower day-to-day costs.
+How far is Barcelona from Valencia?
About 303 km in a straight line.